“A brief catch-up on where I have been and what I have been up to, from Island hopping, celebrating a birthday, smashing a fitness goal and some thoughts on being in my forties.”
Hey everyone! It’s been a while since I last wrote an update, but I’m excited to be back, I almost started this post on a negative by emphasising the fact I haven’t published a blog post in a while; having to remind myself this is my creative space; why I am choosing to put pressure on myself? “it is what it is” as they say, life has been lifeing and not just in the downbeat sense.
It was my Birthday in May; I’ve never been one to make a fuss or shout from the rooftops about it, though my husband sneakily (with pure intentions) organised a surprise dinner with a few family and close friends, it was lowkey, and as much as I go on about how I hate surprises, my cup was filled to the brim with love that night. Grateful!
There is something to be said about getting older and hopefully wiser; still working on the latter LOL! Jokes aside, turning 43 is clearly not what I imagined or even gave much thought to in my 20s or even my 30s; now, being in my 40s, although I have no notion of how my 50s or 60s will look if I even see those years, with introspection I have started to consider how I want my life to feel, I will share a separate post about my experience with ageing thus far; I would undoubtedly say it’s a fascinating time in a woman’s life where there are noticeable changes, and even by society’s standard, we are by no means considered young anymore; instead, we are described as (this word makes me queazy, even to write it) “middle-aged”.
Having said that, I am still holding on to my youthful side.
& part of this new chapter I have embarked on; at the beginning of this year, I came across an Instagram ad from a Pilates studio in my local area promoting a six-week programme for women forty plus and unfamiliar to me; I immediately contacted them and signed myself up to start their challenge, and guys, I smashed it, I completed the challenge and still continue to go!
I have to give myself a massive pat on the back for this one; when it comes to exercise, I have never been consistent; even when I’ve tried Pilates in other studios, there was always a justification I gave for missing a class and a huge factor for my continuance at this studio was finally finding a space, which to be honest I never considered before or even knew it existed, where all the instructors and ladies that attend the classes I go to are not only warm and friendly, they offer support, we have great chats, it gives community, again, just bloody grateful.
I know I come to you in an uplifted mood, hence, getting back into writing, like most of you reading this, when the mind ain’t right, doing the bare minimum is enough to handle, everything else can fall by the wayside, I am simply learning to be gentle with myself in those junctures and find joy in the mundane, and reach out to friends, which, by the way, I’m terrible at when I’m going through it, the idea of not wanting to be a burden, or, I can handle this on my own has got to go, we are getting there.
There is one thing which is a surefire way to rise from the ashes; a beach getaway, or at this point, “let’s be real” any travel adventure will do; something which takes me away from my usual surroundings is always a bonus.
Langkawi is one of those beach getaways that has evolved into a straightforward, go-to destination for us; we have been there twice this year and once to Ko Lipe: a small Thai island off the southwest coast of mainland Thailand and only a one-hour, thirty-minute boat ride from Langkawi, the beach in Ko Lipe was absolute paradise, another item on my blog post list to share with you.
I know I am most likely repeating myself here; If there is one word which sums up this year thus far, or even the last few years, regardless of all the chaos, the blows, the letdowns, and the negative self-talk, it is a sentiment I have mentioned throughout this post, and that is Grateful.
Till Next Time
xx